Peoples Militia

Tanzania raises and maintains a volunteer reserve in the form of the Peoples Militia and the National Service. These reserve forces are integral components of TPDF because they provide support across crisis and capability warning times, in addition to complimentary or supplementary skills as individuals, small groups, and units to sustain the defense and security of Tanzania.

In stressing that defense and security must he public affairs, the party guidelines state that the regular army is but a core around which a widespread popular defense movement is built. "Our army must be the people's army, used in teaching the people how to defend themselves in their localities and to enable them to report on matters of national security."

The TANU Cuidelines (Mwongozo) called for the formation and training of a militia that would be posted throughout the country working in cooperation with the regular army "to defend our territorial borders, our air space and to expose traitors and enemies." The People's Militia, armed and trained by the TpDF and estimated to have 35,000 members in 1977, was the answer to the party's call for a citizen's army.

The Peoples Militia was established by the Militia Act of 1963 to provide the military with Tanzanian citizens; the peasants and workers who were ready to defend their country as one of the components of the TPDF (The National Defense Act, 1966).

The Portuguese invasion of Guinea in 1971, the Uganda coup in 1971, and the continuing wave of coups in Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, in which many legitimate governments were toppled to be replaced by new ones, provided Tanzania with an opportunity to assess its policies regarding its defense. President Nyerere feared the events in Guinea could be replicated in Tanzania. There were also frequent border incidents with Uganda and in southern Tanzania as the Portuguese pursued insurgents crossing the border in response to their attacking the Portuguese in Mozambique.

It was difficult to rely on the TPDF alone to defend these borders. As a consequence, the government decided to involve the people in defending their villages. The establishment of the militia was also in accordance with President Nyerere’s concept of having a small professional army supported by a majority in the militia.

Paragraph 21 of the ruling party TANU Guidelines stressed that the basis of the defense and security of Tanzania was the people themselves. This idea was easily understood by Tanzanians because it was not new to them. In traditional societies, every able-bodied man was also a fighter when the need arose. The defense system therefore satisfied the need for defense and security at the village level.

The President directed the registration of militia and the army to be scrutinized carefully and supervised by the party, ensuring cooperation between the army and militia, and providing for political education to both the military and militia as outlined in the TANU Guidelines of 1971 emphasizing that: "In order to be able to counter our enemies, the people must know that it is they, who are the shield of the nation…, we are not able to create, large permanent armies to guard the country. Our army must be the people’s army used to teach the people on how to defend themselves and their localities, and enable them to report on matters of national security".

The roles of the Militia are stipulated in Article 19 (11b) of the National Defense Act of 1966 as follows:

• Train and work with civil authorities in maintaining security, law and order in their respective areas
• Aid to civil power in national emergencies.
• Work as volunteer reserve of the Armed Forces
• Guard sensitive installations in their respective areas

According to Article 13 of the National Defense Act of 1966, a militiaman or woman is liable for military training for a period not exceeding 30 days per year in his or her location and in a military unit for a period not exceeding 30 days per year.

Militia training is the responsibility of the TPDF. Army units provide instructors who train militia in the brigade’s area of operation from the regional level down to the village level. Militia Advisors at the regional and district commissioner’s offices supervise training and coordinate any administration required for training. Apart from military training, civic education is also taught to create a sense of nationalism and patriotism, especially now that the country uses a multi-party political system,, having been under a single party political system for over 30 years. The office of the Prime Minister is responsible for the administration of militia during training.